


The Moment I Fell

by 87Wings_of_an_angel87



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adorable, Dorks in Love, F/M, Fluff, Forehead Kisses, Happy Adrien Agreste, Identity Reveal, Jealous Adrien Agreste, Kinda?, LadyNoir - Freeform, Reverse Crush AU, Someone save Marinette, adrienette - Freeform, for once, lots of hugs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-16
Updated: 2018-08-20
Packaged: 2019-06-11 16:37:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15319698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/87Wings_of_an_angel87/pseuds/87Wings_of_an_angel87
Summary: "Sure, he’s always been a sucker for black hair and pretty blue bell eyes, but this was...different. Different because it was not Ladybug he was ogling at in the middle of their Lycée hallway..It was Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Fashion designer, daughter of a baker, and stealer of Adrien’s full attention in this moment. "In other words, after a summer a part, Adrien finds himself slowly falling for a certain Fashion Prodigy! And when someone tries to seduce Marinette, Adrien finally figures out that Marinette is certainly not just a friend.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to everyone for reading! I had written about a page of this a year ago and went back to it today, and then the story seemed to write itself!
> 
> Edit: Since a couple people in the comments got me thinking about making a four parter, I'm doing it. Expect another chapter in a week or so :)

Adrien didn’t know what to do.

Sure, he’s always been a sucker for black hair and pretty blue bell eyes, but this was...different. Different because it was not Ladybug he was ogling at in the middle of their Lycée hallway..

It was Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Fashion designer, daughter of a baker, and stealer of Adrien’s full attention in this moment.

To be fair, she looked good. Really good. Hah, who is he kidding? She looked so beautiful it made his eyes hurt! The first thing he noticed was the hair. First, it was out of her usual pigtails that she used to style her hair in. Instead, it laid down to right above her shoulders, curling only slightly into her face. As usual, blue hues reflected on her black hair that made it seem like her hair was the color of sky at midnight.

Sure, the hair was different, but it was still so much more than that. Her skin was flawless; pale, but (as he imagined) smooth and silky. Faint freckles danced across her cheeks. He decided he liked the freckles, even though he hadn’t noticed them before. As if it could get any worse, she was wearing makeup. Sure, she was pretty without it, but it seemed to enhance all her features in the most perfect way. The makeup didn’t hide her, like most girls are looking to do these days. Marinette with make up was...just, hot damn.

Her lips, that were a natural pink already, was enhanced with pink lip gloss. A rosy blush sat permanently across her cheeks. If she turned, he could see the silver highlight that she decided to use on her upper cheeks and tip of the nose. Her eyes, oh gosh he already could get lost in those big bluebells on normal days. But today, she wore mascara, which made her eyes seem even more perfectly blue than they already were. And that was it. That was all she needed to brake Adrien Agreste.

Well, that was only the face. Her outfit was...it just...literally tore his broken pieces to shreds.

She wore a light pink, knitted halter top that he had no doubt that she took the time to stitch herself. Paired with the crop top was high-waisted, white jeans with several rips up on her thighs and knees. The jeans hugged Marinette’s delicate, but curvy figure. A black bomber jacket with a rose embroidered on the back put together the whole ensemble.

God, she was beautiful, Adrien thought. As soon as Adrien thought it, he felt a pit of guilt forming in his stomach. He loved Ladybug, that would never change. Though, his lady didn’t seem very interested these days, so he couldn’t help it if his eyes strayed a bit.

It had been a couple months since he’s seen Marinette. The only contact they had was a four-way skype call between him, Marinette, Alya and Nino. Usually those skype calls were in the early hours of the morning, causing him to fall asleep during a call. Over the summer break, he had been in America for shoots, galas, business meetings, and whatever else his father had planned. This summer, his father had finally introduced him to the business side of Gabriel. Adrien fell in love with it; making deals, schmoozing rich men, and managing money had turned out to be his forte! After many pep talks from Plagg and practicing his speech in mirror about 56 times, Adrien felt ready to tell his father about his dislike for modeling, but love for business.

To his surprise, his father was thrilled! He had given Adrien a warm hug, smiled continuously throughout the meeting, and even chuckled occasionally, too. It was the happiest mood he’s seen his dad in since his mom’s disappearance. With his dad approving of his decision to quit modeling, they struck a deal that he would have an apprenticeship at Gabriel to learn the inner workings of business.

Without a whole summer of Marinette (and Ladybug), her beauty hit him like a truck. She had always been pretty, but the maturity of her face and body made her downright gorgeous. Her face was more defined, her freckles standing out more than ever. Her hair had grown out, and her blue eyes sparkled with a new maturity. She had grown a couple inches which is to be expected at this age. Her body had developed deep curves that made Adrien feel bad for staring at them.

Though, Adrien was not totally oblivious. He knew he had undergone some changes, too. His voice had dropped dramatically in the last month or so. He had grown taller, standing at around 6’1 now. Before, he was really scrawny despite the six pack and muscles from being Chat Noir. After working this summer at the various hotel gyms, he had more defined and bigger muscles. His face had lost all baby fat- his jaw line and nose becoming more defined and sharp. His hair was cut shorter than usual from a recent hair cut.

Yeah, they both changed a lot. Well, at least physically.

Between all his staring, he didn’t notice Nino fully launching himself at him.

“ADRIEN!” Nino yelled before they crashed to the ground.

Adrien groaned more out of annoyance and embarrassment rather than pain. He pushed Nino off of him, the other having a child-like smile on his face. When the two boys stood up, they sized the other one up.

Adrien laughed, running a hand through his hair. “I can’t believe your taller than me.”

Nino laughed along with him. “Glad to have you back, bro.” The guys exchanged a “bro hug”.

“Adrien!”

Adrien turned to see Alya standing over with Marinette. Alya pulled Adrien into a tight hug, resulting in him having to lean down a bit.

“How was America?” Alya asked curiously.

“Hot as hell where I was, but otherwise really nice.” Adrien answered.

His eyes shifted to Marinette, who was shyly standing behind Alya. His smile widened when she blushed.

“Hey, Marinette!” Adrien greeted her. Adrien decided to be bold and hug her.

Marinette seemed shocked at first, but eventually leaned into his hug. “Hi, Adrien.” Her voice was so quiet and precious that he couldn’t help, but his smile to grow.

Once they separated, the group had decided to make their to home room. After seeing which classes they had together, they discovered that they only had Phys ED and history together. He had a couple classes with one or two of them, making it so he had at least one friend in each class. He had Nino in Math and Physics, Alya in Physics, English, and baking, and Marinette in baking, and literature. Thankfully, they all had the same homeroom.

A couple weeks went by of school. Adrien had gotten used to his schedule by now, and was dealing with the loads amount of homework, on top of his apprenticeship, on top of being Chat Noir. He had seen Ladybug on patrols and fighting akumas. They’re reunion was sweet- they hugged for a while before falling back into their old friendship. Adrien could tell that Ladybug missed him, and he missed her just as much.

With him back home in Paris, things just kept getting brighter and brighter! He was more happy than he ever was! He and his dad began to bond once more, he had an amazing career ahead of him, his grades were better than ever, the City of Paris was safe from Hawkmoth and his akumitized victims, and he had an amazing group of friends to fall back on when life inevitable goes down hill.

Well, except for his Marinette/Ladybug dilemma, he was happy.

Despite everything, he finds that his mind goes back between the two. During school, his mind was consumed by Marinette. It was more of an interest in her than a crush. He wouldn’t let go of Ladybug that easily! Still, he would find his thoughts conflicted between the two women constantly.

At school, he was all about Marinette. He thought about constantly in class, counting down the minutes he would get to see her again. With them spending so much time together between classes, after school clubs, and weekend hangouts, he developed a steady friendship with the fashion prodigy. He had finally opened up to her the way he had opened up to Nino, Alya, and Ladybug; he didn’t hold back his punny sense of humor, he openly told her all about his nerdy anime/gaming side, and became more affectionate. In return, he got a sarcastic, nerdy, generous girl whose eyes sparkled when someone brought up fashion. He was happy of how far they come in their friendship, and he wanted to see if he wanted more.

Then when the night came, he couldn’t help to think of Ladybug. She knew him inside and out- they were perfectly in sync with the years of partnership under their belt. She would always be there for them, for better or for worse. She was one of the few people that had become a constant in his life. And he tried to be the same for her. Though they didn’t know all the tiny details about each other, Adrien would argue that Ladybug was one of the only people who knew him the best.

And then the next day, he would think all about Marinette, and the cycle would continue.

It wasn’t until about four months into the school year did he realize he had completely fallen for Marinette.

It was the end of the school day and Adrien was packing up his locker before going home when he heard a familiar voice.

“I told you I wasn’t interested.” Marinette said to an unknown someone. He could hear the discomfort and the coldness in his voice.

“Oh, come on, darling! You can trust me! I won’t hurt one pretty finger on your gorgeous body.” The creep said seductively.

Adrien had to keep himself from snarling in anger. He felt his blood boiling beneath his skin. Hee had to use everything in him from yelling and cursing out whoever was harassing Marinette. Instead of yelling, he brainstormed a way to get Marinette out of this situation without anyone getting hurt. Than, a wicked idea popped into his. One that would be risky depending on their acting, but the perfect solution to her problem.

After getting his bag and shutting his locker, he took a deep breath to calm the nerves in his stomach. He rounded the corner to find Marinette trapped up against the locker with some boy leaning up against her. His arm was resting on the locker over her head while the other hand grabbed her fist. He recognized the older boy from their baking class. He was always staring at Marinette. Adrien pushed away another wave of anger, keeping on a model smile.

Marinette spot him first, sending him a look of panic. Adrien smiled back once again the wicked idea in his head.

“Princess! There you are! I’ve been looking all over for you!” Adrien grabbed Marinette out of the boys grip. The boy let go, startled that someone caught him.

Without hesitation, but with a lot of butterflies in his stomach, Adrien grabbed Marinette by her cheeks and pressed a soft kiss to her list. She automatically leaned into it, reciprocating his efforts. It only lasted a second, but it felt like eternity for Adrien. He wanted it to last forever.

But they separated, and that beautiful moment was gone. They both exchanged a look- an understanding smile that was somehow nervous and dazed, but also victorious. Adrien wrapped an arm around Marinette’s shoulder. She leaned into him, making his heart flutter.

The boy looked between them in shock and confusion. “You...you…”

“Have a boyfriend?” Adrien suggested. The boy nodded dumbly. “Yeah, she does. Thanks for helping Marinette with her stuff, but as her boyfriend, I can take it from here.” Adrien separated from Marinette to pick up her forgotten bag on the floor. “Oh, and the next time you try to hit on my girl, I will make sure you won’t be walking when I’m done with you.”

Adrien led Marinette away from the boy and out of the school. Once they were outside, Adrien detached from Marinette. He handed over her bag, and she swung it over her shoulder.

“I...um...Thank you for the help.” Marinette said to him. What is it just him or was she staring at his lips?

“No problem! I’ll do that for you any day!” Adrien said.

They both chuckled. Adrien’s eyes darted to her lips and hesitantly stepped forward.  
“No, seriously though. Thank you for that. I was just frozen under pressure, and he just wouldn’t leave me alone, and I-”

Adrien grabbed her hands, which ceased all of her babbling. “It’s ok, I’ve got you now.” Adrien pulled the girl in a hug. She hugged him back tightly, placing her head into his shoulder. He rubbed his hand up and down her back as he held her.

Eventually, Marinette pulled back. She was so close to him now. He smell of the bakery was all over her. And he was fairly certain if he was fast enough he could count all her freckles. It was nice being this close to her. It was strangely comforting and familiar. His eyes darted to her lips as he subconsciously wet his own. Slowly, he leaned in until their heads were pressed together. He wanted to kiss her so much, but still hesitated to do so. This was uncharted territory that he didn’t know if she-

Marinette leaned forward and captured his lips in a kiss. He responded instantly- his one hand grabbing her face to be closer to her. She tightened her hold around his neck, even playing with his hair as they deepened the kiss. She tasted like strawberries and spring, and it made his heart sing! All he wanted to do was to stay like this forever and ever. He would be happy if he just kept kissing her for all eternity.

“Adrien!”

Said boy cringed at his name being called. It was Natalie calling him from the Limo. He broke kiss, still keeping Marinette close to him as he turned to look at Natalie in the car with the window rolled down. Her lips were pierced as if she was trying to hide her amusement. Gorilla behind her was smiling slightly.

“Come on, Adrien, you’ll have time to make out with your girlfriend later.” Natalie teased the two.

Adrien turned to Marinette who was blushing wildly; he doubt he looked any different. He separated from Marinette, but not without giving her a kiss on the head.

Still holding her hand, he asked, “I’ll see you tomorrow?" 

  
Marinette nodded. “Lunch?” She suggested with a grin.

“It’s a date!” Adrien added with a wink. He kissed the back of her hand before letting it go.

  
“Bye, Marinette!” He said before opening the door to the limo.

  
“Bye, Adrien!” She said with a wave

.  
He gave her a bright smile before getting into the car and shutting the door.

  
“You know, your father will want to officially meet your new girlfriend. And I suggest the next time you want to have a make out session, at least do it in the closet.” Natalie commented.

  
Adrien groaned, burying his head into his hands. But on the inside, he was happy as can ever be. He kissed Marinette, and he had a date with her tomorrow! He would have to call her tonight to figure out the details, too!

  
And that’s when he decided that he would not mind falling for the beautiful girl with the dark hair and pretty blue bell eyes. And that he already fell for her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I just wanted to thank everyone for their countless support. I wasn't planning on making this a mini series, but after the multiple request in the comments and their many idea, I couldn't resist. Credit to MayaReader for the original idea, and thank you to the people who voted for a four parter after. 
> 
> Also, for those of you who have requested for the reactions of Adrien and Marinette's friends and family, I'm thinking of having a separate work dedicated to that. Those little tidbits is away from the main plot and would be very random to incorporate in the story. I want four separate reactions, so that means four separate chapters. I would make this a series work after I'm finished and then begin writing those separate chapters. Either way, I will be giving you reactions!

Marinette didn’t know what to do. 

Here she was in her bedroom trying to calm herself down after getting off a phone call with one Adrien Agreste. They had just made plans for their date the next day. A couple years ago, she would be freaking out because it was Adrien fucking Agreste who she was just on the phone with. Now, it was because she was confused as fuck. 

Confused about her feelings for the two boys in her life. Obviously one is Adrien. She’s had a crush on him for years! She always thought of him as a handsome, kind, intelligent, polite, proper human being until the most recent months. As he became more comfortable around her she got to know the pun-loving pretty boy who watched way too much anime for his own good.

She knew she loved him, she always has. Still, there was just so much she didn’t know about him, and more she was willing to discover. 

And then there was Chat Noir. She had fallen for him around the same time Adrien had begun to pay more attention to her. She didn’t even know she loved him, but she always did. It was like a soft beat in background of the loud rave music for Adrien. As silly as that sounds, it perfectly described how she felt for the past year or so. And now, when Adrien finally seemed to show an interest in her, the beat for Chat Noir had grown stronger than ever.

She still remembers they exact day when she realized she liked him. It was only two weeks ago when they were finishing up patrol…

* * *

 

_ Ladybug sat on the edge of the Eiffel Tower, waiting for Chat Noir to catch up. They were playing a game of catch and chase when she finally won. They often did this when patrol became bored. Afterwards, they would sit on the edge of the Eiffel Tower on the highest ledge, and talk until they got too tired or their Miraculouses beeped.  _

_ Today, it was just like any other.  _

_ Ladybug smirked as Chat Noir sat down next to her with a pout.  _

_ “And that makes it…” She pretended to think, “The 98th time I’ve won, right kitten?”  _

_ Chat Noir rolled his eyes in fake annoyance. “Yeah yeah, whatever.” _

_ She bumped his shoulder with her own, chuckling a little bit. “You’re such a sore loser!” She accused him.  _

_ He gasped dramatically. “I am not!”  _

_ “Are too!”  _

_ “Am not!”  _

_ “Are too!”  _

_ “I’m not! I promise you. Chat’s Honor.” He raised his left hand while crossing his heart with his right.  _

_ Ladybug gave him a scrutinizing gaze, but a slight smile on her face told Chat it wasn’t serious. Chat made a silly face, one the spotted hero laughed at. _

_ “Fine, I believe you.”  _

_ Chat let out a breath, and pretended to wipe sweat off his brow. The superhero duo exchanged a look before bursting out into laughter.  _

_ “So, what’s new with you?” Ladybug asked making conversation.  _

_She found herself asking questions like that these days. It was not like she didn’t care about their identities, but that she wanted to get to know him without really getting to know_ _him. And that? Yeah, she didn’t know where that came from. A year ago, she would brush off any question having to do with any personal life, and not even dare to ask them. So funny how things change._

_ Though, her curiosity could be stemming from her growing interest in her partner. Romantic interest. When they finally reunited with a summer apart, she had missed him more than she thought she would. It surprised when she had to hold back her tears when they shared a reuniting hug. After that, Ladybug had tried getting to know Chat Noir. Really getting to know him. For the past four months or so, they built a deeper relationship; one that rivaled her and Alya’s.  _

_ “Um, you know the usual. School, work, saving Paris. I’m just trying to focus on my schoolwork at the moment.” Chat answered vaguely.  _

_ Ladybug picked up the weird tone in his voice immediately. It wasn’t like his usually cautious feeling that tried to give her information without giving away his identity. No, it was different. There was something she wasn’t telling him.  _

_ “And?” She prompted him.  _

_ Chat avoided her gaze. _

_ She grabbed his hand, which was clenching his knees. “Chat, you know you can trust me, right? I don’t want you to hold stuff back from me.”  _

_ “Well, that’s new.” Chat chuckled.  _

_ Ladybug frowned slightly. “I know I’ve been….distant in the past. I didn’t want our identities to be at stake. It’s different now. You know that. I trust you, and I hope you trust me.” Ladybug quieted down before saying, “We’re more than just partners, Kitten. I consider you as my best friend.”  _

_ Chat’s head snapped sharply in her direction. His expression was shocked, excited, and touched to the core.  _

_ “You really mean that?” He asked with disbelief.  _

_ She nodded confidently. “I do.”  _

_ He gave her a lopsided grin as he squeezed her hand. “Thank you. That means more than you know. You’re my best friend, too, Bugaboo.” _

_ He let go of her hand and pulled her into a side hug. Ladybug obliged, leaning into him fully.  _

_ “Now you have to tell me what’s going on with you. As your best friend, I demand to know!” Ladybug insisted.  _

_ He sighed before pulling away from her. She missed his warmth instantly. He shifted his body around to face her completely, his legs crossed before him. Ladybug mirrored his position. She observed that he was slightly nervous as he scratched the back of his neck. It was a mannerisms she picked up after a couple of years. _

_ “Um, your a girl right? Like, you know about all this girl stuff?” He asked her in a cute awkward way. _

_ “Yes, Chat, I am a girl.” She said giggling a bit. She’s never seen him this nervous! It was kinda funny to her.  _

_ Chat smiled faintly before rolling his eyes. “You know what I mean.” _

_ Ladybug cokced her head to one side. “I do. Now, go on!” _

_ “Well, um, so you wouldn’t mind if I asked you a question than?” He stared at her like a child trying to convince their parents to get them ice cream. _

_ Ladybug shook her head. “Not at all.”  _

_ “Ok, well there’s this girl-” _

_ Her heart dropped.  _

_ “-and I just can’t figure her out.” Chat explained. _

_ Ladybug felt a lump forming in her throat. Her stomach pressed on a wave of anxiety that rolled through her body. She felt her body tense and freeze up, but somehow her hands were stilling shaking. She felt a bit woozy, the strong emotions taking over her.  _

_ Honestly, she should've seen this coming. He hasn’t tried any pick-up lines on her since the beginning of the school year. The only romantic thing he’s done is kiss her hand, something she is far used to by now. Because she’s blown off his advances so much, she should’ve known he would get tired of her sometime.  _

_ She often wondered what happened if she turn him down years ago. If she didn’t meet Adrien, and never liked him in the first place. Maybe she would be in love with Chat, maybe she would know his identity by now, and maybe they would’ve been together years ago. She will never know.  _

_ She took a deep breath, calming herself. “And you need my help?” Ladybug asked, trying to hide her discomfort. _

_ Chat frowned before taking her hand. Shivers ran down her spine. Did he feel that spark, too? _

_ “I’m sorry, did I make you uncomfortable? It’s fine if you don’t want to talk about it-”  _

_ “No!” Ladybug exclaimed. Chat eyes went wide at her sudden outbursts. “Um, I mean, anything to help a friend. So tell me about this girl?” _

_ Chat’s face melted into a smile. “For one, she’s super kind and generous. She’s so brave and just a natural born leader, you know? She always has everyone's best interest at heart, and hates to inconvenience anyone. She sticks up for people who can’t do so themselves! Oh, and she’s really good at dancing and baking! She’s very hardworking, and a bit of a klutz, but I kinda find that endearing. And she’s so creative, too! She has a beautiful mind and a golden heart.”  _

_ “Is she pretty?”  _

_ “Oh, she’s so beautiful! But not, as beautiful as M’lady, of course.” Chat picked up the hand he was holding and pressed a kiss to it. He added a wink, making her heart flutter.  _

_ At least she was able to steal some of his attention back.  _

_ “She sounds like a really nice girl.” Ladybug complimented while trying to paint a smile on her face. She didn’t know who this girl was, but she sounded pretty amazing to steal her kitty’s attention away. She couldn’t help to feel a pang of jealousy.  _

_ But why did she care so much? Why did she care if he liked someone other than her? She had been ignoring and waving off his advances for years! She didn’t like him, and she didn’t want, too! She shouldn’t have even been interested in him in the first place! How did she even let herself feel for him like that? _

_ “She really is. But…” Chat trailed off.  _

_ “But?”  _

_ Chat ran a hand through his hair. “When we first met, she hated me. Then once we got over that, she still was so awkward around me. She kept stuttering around me, and she was actively avoiding me. Now, she doesn’t do that more, and I’m glad we’re friends! But, I’m beginning to want something more than friendship. It scares me because I don’t know if she feels the same. Even though we’re great friends, I’ve never really tried to flirt with her. I’ve never had a relationship before. I’m just completely lost on what to do.” Chat mumbled.  _

He seems really bummed by this,  _ Ladybug thought.   _ He must like this girl a lot, and I don’t think he even knows how much he truly likes her. This girl probably likes him, too. She acted like I was with Adrien. After I saw how much of a dork he was, I’m not nervous around him anymore. She must have realized that about Chat, and gotten over her nerves like I did.  

_ Ladybug chewed on her lips as she thought it over. She was jealous, no doubt about it. She didn’t want his attention to stray from her. As much as she tells herself she doesn’t like it, she does more than cares to admit. It’s nice to know at least one person likes her, even when Adrien hasn’t show interest. But that doesn’t mean that just because her and Adrien aren’t working that she has to go to Chat! She couldn’t use him as a second choice, even though at the moment she just wanted to tell him to stop wasting time on this girl.  _

_ No, that wouldn’t be right. She can’t just tell Chat to give up on someone because of her. Not when her heart is with someone else as well. It’s selfish, and she hated that she even wanted both of them. Besides, she couldn’t just decide for him and this girl, too. She likes Chat, probably more than herself does. And if this girl makes her kitty happy, than she is good enough for Ladybug.  _

_ “I think you should go for it. The worst thing she can say is no! And if she doesn’t like you, than you can still be friends. If she is as great as you say she is, than she won’t treat you differently based off of your feelings. I’m sure she likes you, anyways. You’re a great guy, Chat. Who wouldn’t like you?” Ladybug told him from her heart.  _

_ Chat Noir beamed at her. “Thanks, Ladybug! You don’t know how much your words mean to me.”  _

_ Ladybug smiled back. “No problem.”  _

_ Just then, his miraculous went off.  _

_ “Ok, I guess I should go.” Chat sighed with disappointment as he stood up.  _

_ Ladybug stood up as well. “I’ll see you Wednesday for patrol?”  _

_ “Yep!” He leaned in and gave her a peck on cheek. “Thank you.” _

_ As Chat Noir leaped into the night, Ladybug was standing there with a rosy blush on her cheeks.  _

* * *

 

And that’s when she realized that even though she didn’t want to, she had fallen for him. 

And now, she had a date with Adrien, while a part still liked Chat Noir. She knew Adrien didn’t deserve this, just as Chat didn’t deserve her. They both don’t deserve someone who can’t be completely infatuated with them! Then again, the part that liked Adrien was bigger than the part that liked Chat so….

Marinette grabbed her pillow and screamed into it. 

“Better?” Tikki asked, who had calmed her down after the phone call with Adrien. 

“Yes.” Marinette responded, her voice muffled by the pillow. “Hey, Tikki?” 

“Yes, Marinette?”

Marinette picked her head up from the pillow and flipped over so she was on her back. Tikki flew to lay on the pillow besides Marinette’s head. 

“How can you like two people at the same time?” 

Tikki sucked in a breath. Of course, she knew who Chat Noir was, which made it 18 times harder to answer this question. How could she give Marinette thorough advice without telling her Adrien was Chat Noir? She knew exactly what was going on. The girl Chat Noir was talking about? It was actually Marinette. But Marinette doesn’t know that cause she doesn’t know Adrien is Chat Noir! And now Adrien likes Marinette who is really Ladybug, and Marinette likes Chat who is really Adrien!

Tikki wanted to laugh by how their crushes completely switched around. Finally, they seemed to notice the person they have been rejecting all these years for their alter ego. Still, it would’ve been better if they had a suspicion about their identities. Still, these kids were a bit slow. 

“I think you don’t like two people at once, Marinette. I think you like one of them, and love the other.” Tikki stated. 

Marinette nodded, taking it into consideration. “Well, that’s Adrien. I’ve loved him.” 

“Yes, that’s very true,” Tikki agreed. “If you love Adrien, choose Adrien! Chat Noir has said he likes someone else. There’s no reason for you to keeping holding on to him when he has feelings for another girl. And Adrien likes you, Marinette! Why push away a guy that likes you for someone who doesn’t? And you loved Adrien with all your heart before, and I think you can love him truly again.”

“You think so?” Marinette asked, still unsure. 

“I do.” Tikki answered honestly. 

Marinette sighed. “You’re right, Tikki. Adrien is all I wanted, and I still want him now more than ever! I love Chat as a partner, but I like him romantically. That doesn’t compare to the love I feel for Adrien.” 

A moment of silence as they both were in deep thought.

Suddenly, Marinette sat up with a 1000 Watt smile on her face. “In other news, Adrien kissed me!!” 

Tikki scoffed. “You’re just realizing this now? Also, you have a date with him tomorrow if you forgotten between all your panicking and brooding.” 

Marinette gasped. “OMG!” 

“What!?” Tikki asked with concern. 

“What am I gonna wear!?”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, so I was on vacation for a week, so I didn't get a lot of writing time. Though, I drew inspiration from the beach I was staying at for this chapter! All this is is fluff and literally has barely any plot, so enjoy. Next weeks chapter will have plot though! Until next time.

Marinette read the text message again, making sure that he said what she thought he said. 

_ Adrien: Don’t worry about a thing. Just bring a bathing suit, cause it’s going to get wet~ ;) _

She blushed at the implication. She knew he was just teasing her. He was purposely trying to get this reaction out of her, and it was working. And that flirty little squiggly line and wink? Oh god, it made her blush from her head to her toes.Half of her was angry that whatever he was doing was working in the first place, while the other half longed for those implications to be true. 

After going back and forth between outfits all night, Marinette had finally settled on one for her date with Adrien. Than, Tikki had graciously pointed out that she didn’t even know where they were going! Adrien had only said that she would be picking her up around 6 in the morning for reason he didn’t name. Marinette deduced they would be taking the train somewhere and he wanted to get their early. Still, she had to text him to make sure her outfit was ok for what he had planned for them. 

And now, she had to bring a bathing suit because she was going to be getting wet. 

Marinette connected the dots easily; train ride, plus bathing suit meant they were going to the beach. Marinette smiled at the thought. She hadn’t been to the beach since last summer, and she was itching to go since then. 

Marinette scanned over her outfit that laid out on her chaise. She was currently dressed in a towel- she realized all of this right after her shower- and full of two cups of coffee. She had already dried her hair and put it up in a bun to keep it out of her face. She had about 30 minutes till Adrien would be here with his driver to pick her up. She decided her outfit was perfect for the beach.

Instead of putting on undergarments, she slipped on a black two piece. Over that, she put on black high-waisted shorts and a pink crop top with a small white heart centered up top. The red straps showed slightly because of the crop tops spaghetti straps, but she didn’t really care very much. She decided to not put on makeup- they were going to the beach after all- and let her hair down for the day. 

“Come on, Tikki!” Marinette called to her kwami. 

Tikki flew into Marinette’s bag, finding a couple cookies to munch on as well as a sunglasses, a book, headphones, and an extra change of clothes. She decided to bring her sketchbook too, just in case she got some inspiration. Marinette opened her hatch door and walked down stairs into her kitchen. 

Her dad and mom were at a baking convention in Nice, so she was technically on her own for the day. Her parents would be getting back early tomorrow morning. She had informed her parents that she was hanging out with Adrien alone, but didn’t say any specifics. Than again, she didn’t even know where they were going on the date till this morning. 

She didn’t say it was a date, but Marinette knows that they know it is by the way they teased her relentlessly. Marinette had said goodnight and goodbye before rushing up to bed. They left early this morning, before she even woke up. 

Her doorbell rang, and Marinette had to pull herself back from running over to it. She took a deep breath, fighting the urge to squeal in excitement. She calmly walked over and opened the door. 

“Hey, Marinette!” Adrien greeted her. He immediately pulled her into a warming hug. 

She didn’t hesitate hugging him back- she was used to how touchy-feely he was by now. Even months ago, she noticed how much he loved affection from anyone. 

“Hey, Adrien!” She said back while pulling away from their hug. 

The first thing she noticed when she pulled away was what he was wearing. What can she say-it was the designer in her. He wore a short sleeved, light blue button down with a couple of buttons unbuttoned on the top. He wore a hot pink swim trunks with orange, blue, purple, and red Hawaiian flowers. His hair was pushed back, a couple strands sticking up out of place. He wore some black sunglasses and sandals, and was carrying a white beach bag. 

“You look very…” Adrien trailed off, struggling to find the right words. He chuckled to himself. “Sorry if I’m being too forward, but you look absolutely beautiful.” 

Marinette blushed at his words. She looked down at her hands, which she had been fidgeting with ever since she opened the door. 

“You’re not being too forward. This is a date after all.” She pointed out to him with a wink. 

Adrien smiled warmly. “I'm glad you’re taking this as seriously as I am.” He looked down as his hand scratched the back of his neck. “I wasn't sure you would. To be honest, I wanted to ask you out for a while now.”

Marinette's eyes widened in shock. “Really?”

“Yeah, of course! I just...didn’t know if you felt the same way or not. I'm glad we're on the same page now!” Adrien said. 

Marinette blushed at his words. “We should get going. We don't want to miss the train.” She deflected. 

“You're right.” Adrien agreed. 

Marinette held out her hand for Adrien to take. He took it with a grateful smile, before blushing profusely. Marinette blushed even more as she looked away. 

Than, the two were off. The ride to the train station was fairly quiet as the both of them were in deep thought. Marinette took comfort in the fact that it wasn't an awkward silence at all, but more of a comfortable silence. 

It gave Marinette time to think about her place with Adrien at the moment. He liked her, she liked him, and they were on a date. Still, she could feel the unspoken words between them. They never really set boundaries at all for this date. They were friends before, and they were always moderately affectionate with each other. But on a date, it's different. It's the difference between platonic and romantic affection that she didn't know where the lines were drawn. 

And even as she thought of all of this, she couldn't help but to think of Chat Noir. 

The train ride went smoothly without any events such as an akuma attack to ruin their date. Marinette smiled to herself. Usually, Hawkmoth would ruin any sort of fun she gets to have! She was lucky that he was taking the day off. 

Adrien and Marinette talked on the train ride for the whole time. His bright energy and enthusiasm woke her up quickly. Usually, she would be falling asleep on train rides because of how boring they were, but not when Adrien was here. They talked about Nino and Alya, and how cute they were as a couple. They talked about school, and modeling, and even design. She showed him a couple of her new sketches in her sketchbook she stuck in her bag this morning. 

“Wow, Marinette! These look amazing!” He gently grabbed the sketchbook from her hands as he marveled at the design. 

“I was listening to Jagged Stone's new album while designing these. And this is what came out.” Marinette explained the style of the clothing. 

“I love how you used the color scheme of the album color for the outfits! And those studded chain epaulets on the bomber jacket? Amazing!” He complimented her. 

“Thanks! I can't wait to start making that jacket! If there is gonna be anything I make from this design, it's gonna be that.” 

Adrien gasped, whipping his head to look at her. “If I buy you the materials, will you make a male version of the jacket for me?!” 

“Of course! I need your measurements though. And you would need to come with me to buy the materials.” Marinette added. 

“We’ll make a date out of it.” Adrien said with a wink. 

Marinette blushed. 

The rest of the train consisted of similar conversations, a lot of flirting, and a lot of blushing. 

Once they arrived at Deauville, they took a short cab ride to the beach. When first arriving, Marinette smiled to herself remembering all the memories she had with her family at the beach. She remembered how her father and mother used to pull into the cold water as a little girl, when she was terrified of the waves. She remembered all the sand castles they used to build, and her favorite restaurant they went to for dinner. And last year, how she was the one pulling them in the chilly, icy waters!

It was a long walk from the road to the beach waters. They had put their stuff down by the cabana they had chosen to rent out. 

“Do you want to-wait, Marinette!” Adrien called after her. 

It was too late-Marinette had already made a pile of her clothes and was running towards the water. She dived in, not very much caring of how cold the water. 

“Adrien! Come on in!” She hollered while waving to her date. 

Adrien laughed. “I need sunscreen first! Father would kill me if i get burned.”

In the meantime, Marinette stood in the shallow waters peacefully floating in the waves. She wasn’t too far in- only waist deep. Deauville didn’t have very rough waves, but had chilly waters. On a unusual sunny day like this, the cool waters were very refreshing to her. 

For what it seemed like forever, Adrien finally went into the water. Marinette laughed as the boy cringed at the chilliness of the waves. She splashed him, earning a little shriek. 

“Marinette Chrysanthemum Dupain-Cheng! You stop that right now!” Adrien scolded her playfully. 

Marinette clutched her stomach. “Chry...santhe..mum? I-I don’t even….have...a middle….name!!” She exclaimed through her laughter. 

Adrien crossed his arm; to warm himself or out of fake anger, she didn’t know. It was most likely both. “Well, that’s sad for you.” 

She rolled her eyes playfully. “Just shut up and swim, dork.” 

Adrien smiled mischievously. “Don’t be so  _ crabby _ ! Get it? Cause we’re in the ocean?” He raised his eyebrows up and down at her repeatedly. 

Marinette deadpanned. “That was one of the worst puns I’ve ever heard you make.” She shook her head in disappointment. 

“I’m sorry, Marinette! I didn’t do it on  _ porpoise _ !” 

“Make another one and I’ll splash you!” She threatened him. 

“Oh, don’t be such a  _ beach!” _

Marinette laughed as she splashed Adrien until he dove under water. Marinette circled around herself, her hands ready to splash him again when he resurfaced. 

Marinette felt two strong arms wrap around her waist. “Gotcha ya!” He exclaimed when popping up behind her.

All the breath was sucked out of her as Adrien grabbed her by the waist. She felt ladybugs in her stomach flying around in excitement. 

Marinette laughed as he picked her up and spun her around. “Put me down, you pun loving dork!” 

“Hey, Marinette, I  _ sea  _ you and me together.” Adrien winked once he finally put her down. 

Marinette blushed from the flirty pick-up line. “That was the worst possible thing you could ever say on a date, Adrien Agreste. Please leave.” Marinette broke away from his hold and swam away towards the shore. 

Adrien chuckled while swimming over to her. “Come back!” He wrapped his arms and legs around her body, causing her to crouch on her knees. “You’ll never get away now!” 

Marinette laughed as she tried to conceal her absolute pleasure at him hanging onto her. “I’m  _ shore  _ I will.” 

Adrien gasped dramatically. “Did you just make...a pun?! I think I just _ tide _ !” He put a hand to his chest before “fainting” in the water. 

Marinette laughed at her date’s foolishness, that was quite endearing. “Your _ Cray-sea _ ! I would  _ krill  _ myself before making such a  _ sea-lly _ pun.” She said once he resurfaced. 

Adrien loosely wrapped his hands around her waist once again. “We are _ dolphin-ately _ meant to be.”

The rest of the time they spent looking for seashells while talking (flirting). Of course, they had splash fights and had wrestled a couple times in the water, too. All in all, it was a really nice time in the water that Marinette was glad to spend with him. 

When lunch came around, they dried themselves off and went back to their little cabana. They sat at the two chairs and the small table to eat. Adrien pulled out his bag which had two sandwiches, one for each of them. 

“Ham and cheese, there you go.” Adrien said passing her the sandwich. 

Marinette grabbed the sandwich and took a bite. “Hmm, good!” She approved. 

“I’m glad you think so.” Adrien commented, taking a bite of his own sandwich. 

“Thank you for all this, by the way. I don’t know how you managed to plan all of this in one night, but this is the best date I’ve ever been on.” Marinette told him sheepishly. 

Adrien smirked. “So, you have been on a date before?” 

“Well, y-yes, but it didn’t r-really go anywhere so…” An embarrassed smile spread across her rosy cheeks as she recalled the disaster of the date. “Alya set me up with a guy last summer and it was….a weird experience.”

“How so?”

Marinette looked down. “He was talking so much that I barely got a word in. I told him to ‘Shut the hell up’ so we could order. He was completely silent the rest of the date.” She pressed a hand to her forehead while shaking it. 

Adrien began to grin, which turned into a chuckle, which turned into full on cackling. 

“Stop it!” Marinette said while shoving his arm playfully. 

“I’m..sorry!” Adrien apologized through laughter. “That’s just too funny.” 

Marinette crossed her arms. “Well, how about you? I bet you have an embarrassing first date story, too.” 

Adrien blushed. “Of course I do.” 

“Let’s hear it than.” Marinette took a bite from her sandwich. 

Adrien rubbed the back of his neck. “My dad had tried to set me up with some model from my shoot. She ended up flirting with the waiter. They ended up exchanging numbers.” 

Marinette couldn’t keep herself from bursting out laughing. “That’s not even embarrassing! That’s just sad.” 

“At least I didn’t tell my date to shut up.” He teased her. 

They both laughed together at their horrible first date stories. 

“At least this is the best date we’ve both been on.” Adrien pointed out once they stopped laughing. 

“Yeah, it is.” Marinette smiled. “Funny how this ended up, huh?”

Adrien nodded in agreement. “When Alya and Nino find out, they will be so happy. They’ve been trying to get us together for months!” 

“You’ve noticed that, too?” Marinette asked. 

“How could I not?! They’re way too obvious with it. I mean, locking us in a closet? Come on!” 

And just like that, the couple bursted into giggles once again. 

Marinette held up her pointer finger as a devious thought came to her. “We shouldn’t even tell them about us! We should let them figure it out.” 

“Us?” Adrien questioned, a growing smile on his face. 

Marinette eyes went wide as she looked down in embarrassment. “Sorry, it was way too soon to say that. I mean it’s only the first date and-” 

A warm hand grabbed her own. A sense of deja vu came over her as she glanced up Adrien’s hopeful smile. 

“I like the sound of that...us. I wouldn’t mind being an us.” Adrien rubbed the back of his neck with his other hand as he blushed. 

Marinette’s cheeks blushed just as red. “I wouldn’t mind either.” She admitted. 

They ate the rest of their lunch quickly before heading out to the boardwalk. They spent the rest of the afternoon walking and talking, while even taking a look in some of the shops. Around 4, they headed back to the train station. 

The two hour train ride and the car ride to Marinette’s house was filled with light conversation and comfortable silence. As the two were left deep in thought, they both unknowingly agreed on one thing; they didn’t want this date to end. 

“I’ll walk you to the door.” Adrien said while helping Marinette get out of the car. 

They stood in front of the bakery door, both of them blushing deeply. 

“Thank you so much, Adrien.” Marinette said. “This really was the best date I’ve ever had.” 

Adrien smiled sheepishly. “So, you wouldn’t be opposed to go on another one than?” He asked hopefully. 

Marinette smiled beamed. “Yes! I would love that.” 

Adrien smiled back, taking her hand in his. 

“I really don’t want this to end.” Adrien expressed his thoughts out loud. 

Marinette stared at their entwined hands. “Me too.” Marinette agreed. “Perhaps, would you like to say for dinner? My parents are at a baking convention and won’t be back early morning. We can cook something, maybe watch a movie?” 

“Yes! I’ll go call Natalie, and tell my driver.” 

With that, Adrien went back to his driver and called Natalie together. He was on the phone for about a minute until he came back to the front door. 

“All set?” Marinette asked. Adrien nodded. “Good, let’s go inside.” 

The couple made their way up stairs and into Marinette’s home. They shed their shoes and put their stuff down at the front door before walking into the kitchen. 

“So, what will it be for dinner tonight?” Adrien asked Marinette, who was peering into the fridge for ideas. 

Marinette stuck out he tongue in thought. “Um, I don’t know….Aha!” Marinette grabbed a bottle of wine. “How about the traditional Coq au vin?” 

Adrien raised his eyebrows in amusement. “Ah, a french delicacy like that must use two chefs in the kitchen.”

“Oh, you don’t have to help.” Marinette refused politely. 

Adrien smiled softly, setting off butterflies in Marinette’s stomach. “I want to.” 

With that, the two began cooking. Marinette started on preparing the chicken while Adrien worked on chopping the vegetables. It was rough, considering Marinette had to watch Adrien like a hawk to make sure he didn’t slice his hand off. He wasn’t very experienced in cooking; he had a personal chef. Marinette, on the other hand, was a baker’s daughter, but also an excellent cook. 

In the end, the vegetables were unevenly cut, but it was completely their own dish. Marinette found it endearing at how hard he tried. While the chicken was roasting, Marinette had began making dessert. It was then that a thunderstorm hit. 

Rumbling of thunder and flashes of lightning began just as Adrien turned on the T.V. The two teens exchanged a nervous glance. 

Adrien looked out the window. “I should...call Nathalie. She might want to pick me up now.” 

Marinette turned her attention back to the dough she was currently kneading. The sounds of the thunderstorm and Adrien’s voice in the background as she spent time thinking. 

She thought about how even in one day, Adrien had managed to steal a huge part of her heart back. Sure, a small bit would always belong to Chat Noir, but she hadn’t thought about her partner since this morning. How is it that in one day, everything had changed completely? How is it that Adrien had crept into her heart so quickly once again? 

Marinette sighed to herself as she repressed a chuckle. She had forgotten; she was always quick to fall in love.  The first time she fell for Adrien, in a thunderstorm just like this one, she was head over heels in all of three minutes. But with Chat Noir, it had taken her longer to fall in love with him, and longer to even admit it. 

It made her wonder- maybe what she felt for Adrien wasn’t love at all. Right now, she knew she loved him. This day proved that so. But before….when they first met, she had put pictures on her wall, memorized his schedule, and was a nervous freak around him. She had memorized the words to his fragrance commercial! She had practically stalked him! She was nothing more than an idolized fan. She was never really in love with, was she? Not until this year, when she had taken the pictures of him of her wall, when she finally got to know him better. 

So, she was slow to fall in love. She was slow to admit it. She knew she loved him, now. What matters is the present not the past, she reminded herself. 

Than, a wave of pride came over her. She had let go of her idolization without even realizing it. She had-

“What are you humming?” Adrien asked out of nowhere. 

Marinette let out a tiny yelp as she threw up the frosting bag. A bit of red bean paste squirted out of it as it landed on her head. 

Adrien burst into laughter, while Marinette took the bag off of her head. 

“Jerk,” she murmured under her breath

“Don’t be mean!” Adrien criticized her. 

“Don’t scare me like that!” Marinette shot back playfully. 

Adrien chuckled. “Ok, I’m sorry. Seriously, though, what were you humming?” 

Marinette shrugged. “It’s an old chinese lullaby my mom used to sing to me. She used to hum it while making old Chinese desserts. I guess that’s why I began to hum.” 

Adrien’s eyes lit up like a child. “Dessert? What dessert?” He rubbed his hands greedily while licking his lips. 

Marinette placed a hand on his chest while pushing him away from the counter. “Nuh huh. You can’t have any yet.” 

“Not fair.” He pouted. “I can’t believe you don’t  _ crust  _ me.”

Marinette giggled. “I can’t believe you.” She responded shaking her head. 

Adrien’s smile grew once more. “You love me. Or should I say, you _ loaf  _ me.”

Marinette shrugged. “Meh, questionable.” 

Adrien’s mouth dropped open. “Mean!” 

She pushed him out of the kitchen. “Just go and sit down, dinner will be done in two minutes. What did Nathalie say?” 

“Oh, good news! She said it was too dangerous for my driver to pick me up, so I’m sleeping over. I hope you don’t mind. Natalie already talked to your parents about it.” Adrien informed her. 

Marinette blushed. Adrien was sleeping over. Sleeping over. As in  _ sleeping _ . 

“Oh, it’s fine.” She responded casually. She began turning her full attention to the kitchen as she prepared a plate for her and Adrien. 

Not too long after, they sat at the dinner table together as they munched on their meals. 

“Hmmm!” Adrien moaned. “This is so good!” 

Marinette giggled at his reaction. “It is! Thank you for helping me.” She smiled gratefully. 

“It was no problem.” Adrien responded. “We should do this for our next date! Or maybe a picnic in the park?” 

Marinette’s mouth dropped open at his suggestion. Thankfully, she wasn’t chewing any food; that would have been embarrassing. The sound of those words had her quiet flustered and shock. Sure they had been hinting an another date all day, but fully suggesting it was something she didn’t think he would do. 

Adrien blushed a deep red. “Sorry, was that too fast? I didn’t mean to startle you or anything. I’ve just been having a great time and I really like you so, I do want to go on another date with you, but if you’re not ready for that or if don’t want to I understand.” 

Marinette blinked.  _ Respond, respond, respond,  _ she urged herself. 

“Yes!” She exclaimed, startling Adrien. “I mean I would love to go on another date with you. To be honest, I really live you too, and I was just startled that you felt the same way. I couldn’t even imagine us going on an actual date. I’m just...so happy.” 

“You mean that?” Adrien asked her. 

“I do.” She nodded. 

Adrien’s smile grew. “Omg, that’s literally amazing!” He gushed, bringing a small blush to Marinette’s cheeks. 

After dessert, which was red bean buns, Marinette and Adrien settled in on the couch and began playing Ultimate Mecha Strike Ⅲ, where Marinette and Adrien both won several rounds. The summer storm went on as the two played the game. Around midnight, the two began to yawn. 

“I’ll go get you some PJ’s to wear.” Marinette yawned as she made her way to her parents room. She ended up finding an old t-shirt and sweats for him to wear. 

She gave the clothes to Adrien as she went upstairs to change and to feed Tikki. 

“How’s the date?” Tikki asked as she munched on a cookie. 

“Good. Really good.” Marinette smiled blissfully. “I’m glad I gave this a chance, Tikki.” 

“I’m glad too, Marinette! From what I’ve heard, he really likes you.” Tikki responded. 

Suddenly, there was a knock on her trap door. “Hey, Marinette?” Adrien called. 

Tikki immediately flew into her hiding space as Marinette opened the door. 

“Yes?” 

Adrien walked into her bedroom. “I was wondering if I could sleep with you tonight? I know this is only the first date, but….I don’t really want to be alone right now. And, you know I like to cuddle.” He explained with a small blush. 

Yes, she did know very well. They had cuddled before during movie hangouts with Alya and Nino, so it was nothing new for the both of them. Except, this was date. It would mean something entirely different if Adrien was cuddling with her in bed. 

Still, she couldn’t help to say yes. 

Not trusting her mouth to speak, she nodded enthusiastically. 

“Great, thanks!” Adrien said as he climbed up her ladder in lightning speed and flopped on her bed. 

She climbed in after him to him already under the covers. His arms were wide open, awaiting her to snuggle into. She jumped on him, earning her a groan out of him which caused her to giggle. 

Marinette lifted her head from his chest and cupped his face, tracing the his high cheekbones. Adrien cupped the back of her neck and drew her in for a kiss. 

A bliss feeling exploded in Marinette as the kiss took over her body. Her heart soared, her mind felt at ease, and she swore that violins were playing. Just like their first kiss, he tasted of mint and now with hint of red bean buns. The kiss was slow and sweet, much like their first kiss. His hands dug into her hair as her hands cupped his face. It wasn’t heated, but it was passionate. 

He eventually slipped his tongue in their kiss, but only a little as if to ask for permission first. Marinette met him back with more enthusiasm as she matched his movements. They lazily kissed for who knows how long, before they both pulled back. And immediately giggled. 

“God, I like you so much!” Marinette slid off of him and buried herself into his side. 

Adrien chuckled. “I like you, too.” He said giving her a kiss on the head. 

The two cuddled up before falling in a peaceful sleep. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! As this series comes to a close, I'm a bit sad. It was really fun writing this story. I hope you all enjoy!
> 
> Also, be on the lookout for the second installment that takes place after this series in the school year wear everyone finds at about their relationship. It will most likely be a crack fic that can also stand alone from this series, too.

_ ~ A Month Later ~ _

Adrien laid back on the soft blanket and sighed. He closed his eyes and soaked up the warmth of the summer sun shining on his face. He chewed the red bean buns slowly as to savour it’s delightful taste. 

“Hey, no falling asleep on our one month anniversary!” Marinette scolded him playfully with a giggle. 

Adrien’s hands searched the carpet until he found Marinette’s legs and laid his head in her lap. She immediately began stroking his hair softly. 

“But I’m tired, and that feels so gooood!” Adrien’s voice trailed off as he hugged his girlfriend’s waist. 

“Ok, fine. I guess I’ll just eat the rest of these delicious buns….” 

Adrien’s eyes shot open while quickly grabbing the bin of buns for himself. He wrapped his whole body around it. 

“No, not for you.” Adrien replied with a glare. 

“I made them, you freeloading dork!” Marinette argued making a go for the bin. 

Adrien swatted her hand away. “But I’m _ your _ dork!” He grabbed a bun for himself and took a bite. He hummed in satisfaction. “So good!” 

Marinette gave him a killing look as he smiled mischievously at his girlfriend. Marinette snatched the bun out of his hand and popped the rest of it in her mouth. 

“Hey!” Adrien snapped. “That was mine!” 

Marinette swiftly took the bin out of his hands. “Not anymore!” She pushed him off of her lap and ran away. Adrien immediately ran after her. 

To anyone else, it would have looked like an angry man-child chasing a small hysterically laughing women for stealing his food. To them, it was their perfect idea for a one month anniversary. 

Ever since they started dating a month ago, Adrien had been having the best time of his life. They hung out every week, almost every day, and every weekend for sure. They went on plenty of dates- a different variety of them. Some were more extravagant and cheesy; taking her to a restaurant in the Eiffel Tower, or her planning a boat ride on Seine complete with violinist serenading them. Some were more small and laid back; going to the arcade, playing video games in sweats, or just enjoying each other’s company where ever they were. No matter where they went, Adrien didn’t care as long as he was with her. 

The only people who knew about their relationship was their parents. Asides from Nathalie and Gorilla, of course. Adrien’s dad was aware of it, but Marinette hadn’t been introduced formally yet. Marinette’s parents were on the same page. At the beginning of their relationship, they had agreed to take it slow before they had gotten anyone else involved, including Alya and Nino. 

And now that their a month in, Adrien was definitely sure he was falling in love with her. 

Soon enough, Adrien caught Marinette by wrapping his arms around her. He lifted her off the ground, causing her to squeal. 

“Put me down! Your gonna make me drop the buns!” Marinette screeched. 

Adrien set her down before stealing another bun from the bin. Marinette gave him a look. 

“What? They’re delicious!” Adrien defended himself. 

Marinette opened her mouth to say something, but a huge crash interrupted her. Marinette grabbed Adrien’s hand out of instinct, putting herself before him in a protective stance. 

“An akuma!” Someone shouted. 

The couple exchanged a wide eyed look.

“Come on, we need to get to safety!” Adrien said before running off to the direction of Marinette’s house. 

“Marinette! Thank goodness you’re here. I was worried.” Sabine said bringing Marinette into a hug. 

Adrien tried making a quick dash for the door unnoticed until Marinette called his name. 

“Where are you going? Stay here until the attack’s over.” Marinette stated, grabbing his arm and pulling him away from the door. 

“But-” 

“No.” Marinette interrupted him. “I don’t care if your father will be worried. Just call Nathalie and tell her you’re with me. Let’s just go to my room where we will be safe.”

Adrien decided not to argue as Marinette pulled him upstairs as Sabine and Tom finished closing the bakery. One they got to Marinette’s room, they sat down on the chaise. 

“Marinette, I really need to go.” Adrien said with a pain expression. 

Marinette shook her head. “No, you don’t. You need to stay inside where your safe!” Marinette argued. 

“It’s not even a far walk! I’ll be fine, really.” 

Marinette gave him a stern look. “Adrien, I said no.” Marinette snapped. She sighed while grabbing Adrien’s hand tightly. “If you go out there and get hurt, it will all be because of me. I can’t lose you, Adrien.” 

Adrien gave her a small smile before kissing Marinette softly. He drew her in close; the smell of red bean buns mixed with her natural scent was intoxicating. Marinette pushed him back until his head hit the lush cushions of the chaise. She crawled on top of him, deepening the kiss by licking his bottom lip, and-

A huge crash caused the two to sprang a part in a startled, blushing mess. 

Marinette looked at him with a nervous smile. “You know what? I-I should actually go.” 

Before Adrien could say another word, she had ducked down the trap door and left him alone. Plagg came out from Adrien’s jean pocket with a glare so deadly it could kill

“Next time, please don’t make out with your girlfriend whILE THERE IS A AKUMA RUNNING AROUND PARIS!” Plagg scolded. 

Adrien put his hands up in surrender. “Ok, ok. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again I promise.” 

“Doubtful.” 

...

“Just get in the fucking ring.” 

* * *

 

30 seconds later, and Chat Noir was following the sound of the crashes as he leapt from rooftop to rooftop. Ladybug showed up beside him, running at the same speed and sense of determination. 

“Do you know what we are dealing with, LB?” Chat asked, hoping his partner had some information about the akuma. 

“I have no idea. I guess we’ll find out once we locate the akuma.” Ladybug responded.  

Finally, they had arrived on scene at the Jardin du Trocadéro. The akuma was different from what they ever seen; for once the akuma wasn’t sporting a brightly colored costume. Instead, the akuma was a girl, who had to be at least 12, that wore a white dress that came down to her knees. She was very pale with long black hair and brown eyes. The girl gave Chat a haunting and creepy vibe; the girl was manically laughing as she touched people with an empty picture frame. 

Adrien put his usual Chat Noir grin as he said, “Did you crawl out of a T.V or what?” 

The girl spun to the superheroes, giving them a curious look that was downright creepy. It sent shivers down his spine. He exchanged a glance with Ladybug, who looked as creeped as he did. 

“Ok, let’s get it over with. Go ahead, make your big villain speech.” Ladybug said with a roll of her eyes. 

The girl laughed coldly. “I would, but I don’t remember what to say.” 

“Do you at least have a name we can call you besides “Creepy girl from ‘The Ring’?” Chat asked with a bored expression. 

“No.” The girl faltered, looking down at her feet. “He didn’t even remember my name….” She whispered painfully. 

She looked up sharply, as if she remembered that they were still here. 

“Did you ever have someone forget you?” She asked almost innocently. “Did you ever have someone leave you behind without a second glance?” 

Chat frowned, thinking of the one person who did leave. The girl crept towards him, sensing she hit a nerve. 

“You have, haven’t you? My father doesn’t even remember my name! If only he could remember….remember…” 

The girl lunged for Chat, her picture frame stretched out in front of her. Chat was frozen, lost in his own memories. Ladybug lunged. 

“CHAT, NO!” 

Chat didn’t register falling to the ground. The last thing he remembered was some 12 year old akuma attacking him with a picture frame. He groaned in pain, the hard concrete was not a soft landing. Yeah, that will definitely hurt later.

Finally, he opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was spots. Black spots on a red bodysuit. Cute pigtails, bluebell eyes, and pink lips. A girl was lying fully on top of him- clutching on to him, in fact. 

“Chat, are you ok?” The girl asked. 

The girl, still on top of him, cupped his face in her hands softly. A worried expression was spread across her face. She seemed somehow familiar, like he should know her in some way, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. And what’s with the Ladybug suit? 

“I’m fine…” Chat pushed himself up to a sitting position. The girl fell back in his lap, still straddling him. 

“Good. We need to go find that akuma, and quickly. Who knows what that picture frame does.” The girl stood up, holding out her hand for Chat to take. 

Chat looked at her, than her hand. “Um, who are you?” 

The girl’s hand fell to her side as she stared at him with a conflicted expression. She seemed shocked, but more importantly, deeply hurt. 

“Oh,” the girl said. “That’s what it does.” 

The girl sank to the ground. She laid her head in her hands. Chat could tell she was trying not to cry. He scratched the back of his neck. He never knows what to do when a girl cries. He opted for comfort instead of just leaving her there. She seems very hurt that he doesn’t remember her, and he didn’t want to hurt her. 

He crept over to her side and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. She moved slowly, hugging him back and crying into his chest. 

“I can’t believe you don’t remember me.” She murmured through sobs. 

Chat cringed. “I’m sorry.” Chat apologized. 

A few moments passed and she moved away from him, wiping her tears and nose. She schooled her face into a happier expression, but her eyes were sparked with determination and even anger. She pushed herself off the ground before offering a hand to him. This time he took it with a pitiful smile. 

“I’m Ladybug.” Ladybug said, still holding his hand. “I’m your superhero partner. We have been working together to fight akumas for years now. I use my powers to cleanse the akumas, and spawn objects out of nowhere to help us fight. I use a yoyo as my weapon.”

Chat smiled, glad that Ladybug isn’t crying anymore. “I’m Chat Noir, at your service.” He topped off the greeting with a kiss to her hand. 

She smiled brightly, even giggling a bit. “Same old, Chat Noir. Aren’t you?” She rubbed his head for a quick second before letting go of his hand. 

“I’ve done that to you before?” Chat asked with amusement, though he was a bit shocked. 

Ladybug rolled her eyes. “All the time! Your a huge flirt, Chat.”

Chat’s eyebrows furrowed. “You sure? I usually don’t flirt with people in the suit. Doesn’t make for a good superhero.” 

Ladybug’s mouth dropped open as her face grew pink. “Oh, I see.” She looked away, perhaps to hide the blush. “We better get going.” 

She turned back to him, a cheeky smile on her face. “We have an akuma to catch.” Ladybug winked. 

She took out a yoyo, swang her arms back until it caught on to the next building. She tugged slightly, and she was gone. 

Chat stood in the same spot, blushing from head to toe. He shook his head, grabbed his baton, and leaped after the girl in the spots.

* * *

 

“Ah, back for more?” The akuma teased with another creepy smile. 

Chat mimed throwing up to Ladybug. She giggled. Chat smiled. 

He didn’t know who this girl was, even though she claimed they had several years of partnership, all he wanted to do is here that giggle everyday if he could. As long as she didn’t cry again, everything would be ok.

Oh, right; the akuma. 

Chat snapped out of his thoughts and turned his attention toward the akuma again, who was taunting Ladybug. With a war cry, Ladybug swung he yoyo out at the akuma. The akuma dodged quickly. 

Chat swiped the baton under her feet, making her fall over. Ladybug charged, going for the book frame. The akuma rolled out of the way, stood up, and laughed maniacally. 

“Chat,” Ladybug whispered. “Do you see the locket she has tied around her neck? I think that’s where the akuma is.” 

Chat nodded. “What do you suppose we do, M’Lady?” 

Ladybug smiled softly. “I’m gonna call one of my lucky charms. Cover me.” 

Chat nodded. “Got it.” He turned to the akuma. “Come on, little girl! Someone’s T.V. needs to be repaired!”

The girl snarled while lunging for Chat. They traded blows. Chat would leap for the necklace, she would punch him in the gut. She would try to hit him with the picture frame, he would trip her with his baton. 

“Lucky Charm!” Ladybug called, a pink light engulfing her. 

Chat stayed focus on his fight; he didn’t want to be distracted. He was vaguely aware of Ladybug throwing her yoyo up in the air as he dodged another attack by the akuma.

“A camera?” 

Chat turned around quickly to see Ladybug holding a Ladybug holding a 10 Euros. She shrugged. 

Chat heard footsteps. He quickly ducked, evading another attack by the akuma. Instead of attacking, he grabbed Ladybug and hid in a nearby alleyway. 

“Ok, why do you have a Ladybug spotted antique camera from the 1940s?” Chat asked. 

“I know what to do, ok? Just follow me lead.” Ladybug said before dragging them out of their hiding spot. 

“Hey, little girl!” Ladybug called. The akuma turned to them. “Why isn’t there a picture in the frame?” 

The akuma scoffed. “How should I know?” 

“There will be one now! Say cheese!” 

Ladybug snapped a photo. Powder flew out of the camera, as well as a bright light. 

“My eyes!” The girl dropped the picture frame, her hands covering her eyes in pain. 

“Cataclysm!” Chat yelled. He touched the picture frame, destroying it completely. 

Ladybug dropped the camera and ripped off the girl’s locket. She threw it on the ground and crushed it with her foot. A black butterfly flew out of it. 

“Miraculous Ladybug!” 

Chat watched in awe as Ladybug threw up the camera as a pink light spread over Paris. Memories of Ladybug tumbled into his brain from the first time they met; getting tangled up in her yoyo, scolding him for using Cataclysm for the first time, giving Marinette his umbrella-

Marinette? Marinette, his girlfriend! How did he forget her?

How did he forget her if Marinette was at her house, safe from the akuma? He didn’t even see the akuma in the park! And he would have forgotten her long before he met up with Ladybug if she had been touched by the picture frame. Unless…

His eyes set on Ladybug, who had already cleansed the akuma and was taking pictures with fans. He vaguely recognized fans trying to ask for autographs, but he ignored them. His eyes were dead set on Ladybug. 

He marched over to her with a Chat Noir smile. He grabbed her arm lightly. 

“Meet me at the usual spot.” He whispered in her ear. Ladybug nodded faintly. 

They said their goodbyes before leaping off into the sunset. It wasn’t long before they arrived at a rooftop, near Marinette’s house might he add. 

As soon as they touched the roof, Chat pulled Ladybug in for a deep searing kiss. It took her a moment to respond, but when she did, it was like heaven. She lace her arms around his neck, her hands digging into his hair to pull him closer. She smelled just like a bakery. Chat kissed her with burning passion, not slowing down for a moment.  It wasn’t long before he bit on her lower lip lightly, making her gasp a little. He slipped in his tongue, tasting her completely.

As he expected, she tasted sweet like strawberries and spring. And, the faint taste of red bean buns….

Chat pulled back from her sharply. His head felt woozy, just he always felt after kissing her. Yes, it must be her! How could he forget Ladybug and Marinette at the exact same time without any other explanation? And that kiss. That kiss! She smelled just like her- like a bakery. Her body felt so familiar against his, like it fit perfectly. The way her lips felt the same- the same softness, the same taste, the same kiss. She tasted like red bean beans….Yes, it has to be her. It has to be-

“Marinette.” He murmured, a wide smile spreading across his face. 

Ladybug’s eyes bulged out of her head as her mouth dropped to the floor. She coughed, trying to cover up her shockingly cartoonish expression. Chat resisted the urge to smirk. 

“W-What? I d-don’t know w-what you mean, Ch-Chat.” She looked down, fiddling with her hands again. Her face grew as red as her suit. 

Chat picked up her head with his claw. “I know it’s you, Princess. You taste exactly like red bean buns.” 

Marinette’s mouth dropped open again. Her eyes drifted to his lips, then his eyes once more. Then, trailed over his face. Chat could see the wheels turning in her eyes. She took a step back from him, her eyes trailing over his body. She circled around him studying every inch from head to toe. 

Once she face him again, she stepped closer and pressed her body up against his. Chat’s breath hitched as her hands slid into his hair, then cupped his cheeks. With her thumb, she wiped the skin closest to his mouth. She examined her thumb before letting go off his face and licking it. Chat squeaked. 

“Red bean paste….Adrien.” Ladybug’s smile grew wide. 

“Princess!” Adrien exclaimed before picking her up and swinging her around. 

Ladybug laughed, this time not asking to be put down. Chat laughed with her, his heart soaring out of his chest. All this time, he loved Ladybug. Then, he got over Ladybug to start falling in love with her all over again. Who couldn’t ask for more?

He set her down slowly in softly. His arms were cupping her waist gently, her hands were placed on his chest. He leaned in, kissing her softly. 

“I once said that whoever was behind the mask, I love that girl.” Chat purred into her hair. “I love you, Marinette, Ladybug.” 

“I love you too, Adrien, Chaton.” Ladybug breathed. “I love you, too.” 

  
  



End file.
